Daily News Analysis 3rd October 2018

Daily News Analysis (Prelims + Mains) – 3rd Oct 2018

General Study – II

Topic:

Government policies and intervention for development in various Sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation

Swachh Bharat has become a people’s movement

• Programme has really caught on as a jan andolan. It has become a ‘people’s movement.
• It has addressed centuries old practices on open defecation, and it has had major health and economic impact.
• A recent World Health Organisation (WHO) report has said that by the time Swachh Bharat ends in 2019, more than 3,00,000 lives would have been saved
• 24 States have become open defecation free. The number of toilets built is 8.6 crore. Sanitation coverage has gone up from 39% to 93%.

General Study – II

Topic:

Important International institutions, agencies and foratheir structure, mandate.

PM inaugurates first Assembly of the International Solar Alliance

The PM inaugurated the first Assembly of the International Solar Alliance at Vigyan Bhawan. The same event also marked the inauguration of the second IORA Renewable Energy Ministerial Meeting, and the 2nd Global RE-Invest (Renewable Energy Investors’ Meet and Expo). The Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Antonio Guterres, was present on the occasion.

India is working towards the goals of the Paris Agreement through an action plan. The target is to generate 40 percent of India’s total energy requirements in 2030, by non-fossil fuel based sources.

International Solar Alliance will Play same role as OPEC: Narendra Modi

International Solar Alliance:

• ISA was jointly launched by India and France in November 2015 at Paris on side lines of COP21 UN Climate Change Conference.
• ISA’s headquart is in India
• ISA is an inter-governmental treaty-based organisation of countries between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn, looking to promote solar energy in the member nations.

The Delhi Solar Agenda, adopted in the Founding Conference of the ISA, states that the ISA member States inter-alia have agreed to pursue an increased share of solar energy in the final energy consumption in respective national energy mix, as a means of tackling global challenges of climate change and as a cost-effective solution by supporting and implementing policy initiatives and participation of all relevant stakeholders, as applicable, in respective States.

OPEC: Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries

• Founded in 1960 in Bagdad
• HQ : Vienna
• 14 members
  • Algeria,
  • Angola,
  • Ecuador,
  • Equatorial Guinea,
  • Gabon,
  • Iran,
  • Iraq,
  • Kuwait,
  • Libya,
  • Nigeria,
  • Qatar,
  • Saudi Arabia (the de facto leader),
  • United Arab Emirates, and
  • Venezuela

General Study – III

Topic:

Indigenisation of Technology and developing new Technology

Context:

• The ‘Swiss centre of excellence for agricultural research ,in Nyon, Switzerland, agriculture scientists fly a drone to study nitrogen level in leaves, not for a farm as a whole, but for each individual plant.
• The drone takes a large number of images, which when fed into a computer model with data on soil condition, weather, time of the year and other information helps analyse which plants are deficient in nitrogen, enabling farmers to add corrective fertilizer only where necessary.

Drone Policy In India:

What are drones?

• The remotely piloted aircraft, its associated remote pilot station(s), command and control links and any other components forms a Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS)
• As per the civil aviation requirements – issued under the provisions of Rule 15A and Rule 133A of the Aircraft Rules, 1937 – these RPAs will need a Unique Identification Number (UIN), Unmanned Aircraft Operator Permit (UAOP) and need to adhere to other operational requirements.

• All drones, other than in the nano category, shall apply to Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for import clearance and based on that Directorate General of Foreign Trade shall issue license for import of RPAS

What is Unmanned Aircraft Operator Permit (UAOP)?

• Operators of civil drones will need to get a permit from the DGCA. There are exceptions for:
  i) Nano RPA operating below 50 feet (15 m) in uncontrolled airspace / enclosed premises.
  ii) Micro RPA operating below 200 feet (60 m) in uncontrolled airspace / enclosed premises – but will need to inform local police 24 hours prior.
  iii) RPA owned and operated by NTRO, ARC and Central Intelligence Agencies but after intimating local police.
• The DGCA has to issue the UAOP within seven working days provided all the documents are complete. This UAOP shall be valid for five years and not transferrable. The policy also stipulates that RPAs shall be flown only by someone over 18 years of age, having passed 10th exam in English, and undergone ground/ practical training as approved by DGCA.

What are the restrictions in place for drones in India?

• RPAs cannot be flown within 5km of the perimeters of the airports in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Hyderabad and within 3km from the perimeter of any other airport.
• It cannot fly within “permanent or temporary Prohibited, Restricted and Danger Areas” and within 25km from international border which includes the Line of Control (LoC), Line of Actual Control (LAC) and Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL).
• It cannot fly beyond 500 m into sea from the coast line and within 3 km from perimeter of military installations.
• It also cannot fly within a 5 km radius of the Vijay Chowk in Delhi, within 2 km from perimeter of strategic locations/ vital installations notified by Ministry of Home Affairs and within 3 km from radius of State Secretariat Complexes.
• It also cannot be operated from a mobile platform such as a moving vehicle, ship or aircraft.
• Eco-sensitive zones around National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries are off-limits without prior permission.
• Violations will be acted on under relevant sections of the IPC and the Aircraft Act 1934.

Facts for Prelims

THE INDIAN OCEAN RIM ASSOCIATION

The IORA was set up with the objective of strengthening regional cooperation and sustainable development within the Indian Ocean Region with 21 Member States and 7 Dialogue Partners.

India will be hosting 2^nd IORA Renewable Energy Ministerial meet. In this meeting, Ministers from 9 member countries and delegates from all 21 member countries are expected to participate.

Members

India, Australia, Iran, Indonesia Thailand, Malaysia, South Africa, Mozambique, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Bangladesh, Singapore, Mauritius, Madagascar, UAE, Yemen, Seychelles, Somalia, Comoros and Oman are members of IORA.

Second RE-INVESTMENT

The 2^nd RE-INVEST aims at accelerating the worldwide effort to scale up renewable energy and connect the global investment community with Indian energy stakeholders.

2^nd RE-INVEST will include a three-day Conference on renewables, cleantech and future energy choices, and an Expo of renewables-related manufacturers, developers, investors and innovators.

The 2^nd RE-INVEST is expected to be attended by Ministerial Delegations from across the world including ISA and IORA Member Countries, over 600 global industry leaders, and 10,000 delegates.

15 Indian states will participate, there will be 7 focused country presentations, and over 150 speakers including 55 international speakers from 15 countries will speak at the event.

RE-INVEST includes 50 plenary and technical sessions, a special Chief Ministerial plenary session, exhibition with over 100 exhibiting companies, and focused sessions on Start-ups and Human Resource Development.

Globally, India stands 5^th in renewable power, 4^th in wind power and 5^th in solar power installed capacity. India is one of the world’s largest green energy markets, with exponential increase in demand and supply.

Renewable energy development and deployment has received proactive policy support, including 100% foreign investment. The Government of India is aiming to exceed the set target of 175 GW renewable energy capacity by 2022.

RE-Invest is a global platform to explore strategies for development and deployment of renewables.

It showcases India’s green energy market and the Government’s efforts to scale up capacity to meet the national energy demand in socially, economically and ecologically sustainable ways.

The 2nd Global RE-Invest will build upon the success of RE-Invest 2015 and provide an international forum to established players as well as new segments of investors and entrepreneurs to engage, ideate and innovate.

PM to receive UNEP Champions of the Earth Award

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, will receive the United Nations’ highest environmental honor, the ‘UNEP Champions of the Earth’ award at a special ceremony in Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra, New Delhi.

Prime Minister Modi has been selected in the leadership category for his pioneering work in championing the International Solar Alliance and for his unprecedented pledge to eliminate all single-use plastic in India by 2022.

The annual ‘Champions of the Earth’ prize is awarded to outstanding leaders from government, civil society and the private sector whose actions have had a positive impact on the environment.

Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention (MGISC)

The PM addressed the Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention (MGISC) in New Delhi. MGISC has been a 4-day international conference that has brought together Sanitation Ministers and other leaders in WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) from around the world.

The PM visited Digital Exhibition, accompanied by the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Antonio Guterres. From the dais, the dignitaries launched commemorative postage stamps on Mahatma Gandhi, and a medley CD based on Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite hymn – “Vaishnav Jana To.” The Swachh Bharat Awards were also distributed on this occasion.

Rural sanitation, which stood at 38 percent in 2014, has now reached 94 percent. More than 5 lakh villages are now ODF.

India is on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. He highlighted the importance of the “4 Ps” in making the world clean: Political Leadership, Public Funding, Partnerships, and People’s participation.

IBSAMAR-VI kicks off at Simons Town, South Africa

The sixth edition of IBSAMAR, a joint Multi – National Maritime Exercise between the Indian, Brazilian and South African Navies, is being held at Simons Town, South Africa.The last edition of IBSAMAR (IBSAMAR V) was conducted off Goa in 2016.

The aim of the exercise is to undertake collective training for participating navies, building interoperability and mutual understanding as well as sharing of best practices.

The exercise includes both harbour and sea phases with various navigation and seamanship evolutions, surface weapons firing, force protection exercises, antipiracy exercise, anti-air and anti-submarine exercise as well as flying operations. Apart from professional activities, sports and social engagements are also planned.

Unnat Bharat Abhiyan

The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) along with the Ministries of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj has agreed to link all Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) with rural development processes under Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA).

Its an attempt to bring about substantial improvements in the formulation and delivery of developmental schemes in the rural areas. It is envisaged that representatives of Higher Education Institutions interact with local bodies and community in selected village clusters and provide knowledge inputs into the Gram Panchayat Development Plans.

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has been designated as the Coordinating Institute.